Switching signal and lock



Feb.

1,527,186 M. L. HARVEY SWITCHING SIGNAL AND LOCK Filed March 14, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet l m-i 2 A/ Feb. 24. 1925.

M. HARVEY:

SWITCHING SIGNAL AND LOCK 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fild March 14, 1924 8 mum 11oz omen sures PATENT OlF F'ICIE.

MILLARD L. HARVEY, OF SAVANNAH, GEQRGIA.

SWITCHING SIGNAL ANZD LOCK.

Application fil ed March- 14, 1924. S e-rial No. 699,305.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Mi-Lnano L. IIAR-VEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Savannah, in the county of Chatham and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switching Signals and Locks, and do declare the fol lowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertai-ns to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in distantsignals used in connection with railway switches and actuated by the switchoperating mechanism, to show the position of the switch. With; devices of this nature heretofore devised, the signal can be set at switch-closed position, by the switch closing mechanism, even though the switch may not actually move to closed position, due for instance to loss or shearing of the bridle bar bolt. Thus, a great element of danger exists with prior devices.

it is the principal object of the present invention to improve upon switch signals of the type set forth, by providing means controlled by the position of the switch tongue, for preventing setting of the signal at switch-closed position, unless the tongue is actually in closed position.

Another aim is to provide, in a single unit, the a bo\-"e-namod preventing means and a lock for holding the switch tongue against possible accidental opening.

Vith the foregoing in view, my invention resides in the novel subject matter herein-. after described and claimed, the description being supplemented by the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a plan view showing my in vention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical "section as indicated by line 22 of Fig. 1.

Figures 3 and 4 are-vertical transverse sectional views as indicated by lines 33 and ll of Fig. 1, and Figure 5 is a horizontal section on line 55 of Fig. 4

In the drawings above briefly described, the numerals 1 designate a pair of switch tongues which are connected by a bridle bar 2, for either opening or closing the switch. I have shown a switch stand 3 into which a main operating shaft 4- extends, this shaft having the usual lever 5, and latch devices 6 are provided for holding said lever in one position. or the. other; Through. the instru-v mentality of connections. yet to be described, movement of the shaft;- 4 under the influence of the lever 5 serves, to open or close the switch, as occasion may require.

At a distant point, I provide a semaphore or other desired signal 7 which is adapted to show the position of the switch as, the latter is. being approached. This signal. is connected with and operated by the switch throwing means, the construction and. arrangement disclosed, being preferably enlpl-oyed. The signal or semaphore 7, is shown mounted upon a post- 8 and provided with an operating rod 9 which is connected by a wrist pin 10 with an operating gear 11 rotatably mounted on the lower end of said post. A one-piece longitudinal. bar 12 extends from the gear 11 to the shaft and is mounted in suitable guides 13, said bar being provided with rack teeth 14; meshing with said gear 11 and with other teeth meshing with a pinion 16 which secured on the shaft 4.

It will be seen from the subject matter so far described, that if the switch tongues l should become disconnected from the bridle bar 2, or if the bridle bar should becolsn disconnected from the switclnthrowing mechanism, the signal 7 would still be under the influence of the lever 5 and could be set vat switch-closed position, when in reality the switch might be wide open. Such. an o cur rence how-ever revented by the subject matter described below.

A rockably mounted lock 17 provided for holding the. switch tongue 1 when the switch is in closed position, said look however being provided with an operating shaft, 18 having a pinion 19 meshing with rack teeth 20 on the bar 12, so that n'iovement of said bar to operate the switch signal, will also operate the lock, certain adequate pro.- vision being made to permit release of the look before opening of the switch tongues and to permit closing of the tongues before return of the lock to operative position. If for any reason, the operating mechanism for the switch, does not actually close the tongues 1 when the lever 5 is moved in the proper direction, the lock 17 will strike said tongues and will thus lock the bar 12- against further movement, so that the operator immediately knows that something is wrong.

ing means, and the lock 17, is practically identical with the arrangement shown in my U. S. Patent No.1,285,151 of November 19, 1918, and for illustrative purposes I have illustrated the same association of parts for causing release of the lock 17 before the tongues move toward open position, and for insuring that the. tongues shall be'closed before the lock moves to its operative position. A brief description of these parts will suflice, with reference to Figs. 4 and 5. The bridlebar 2'is connected by. a bolt or the like 21 with a longitudinally elastic link 22 which extends into theswitch stand 3 and has a lost motion connection 23 with a disk 2%1 on an upright shaft 25 which rises from the stand 3 and carries the usual signals 26. By suitable gearing 27, the shaft 25 is turned by the shaft 4. This or any other adequate arrangement may be employed for obtaining the desired results.

From the foregoing, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that I have provided a comparatively simple switch signal and lock, yet that the invention will be exceptionally desirable and will positively prevent the distant signal from showing that the switch is closed when it is in reality open.

As excellent results can be obtained from the general construction disclosed, it may well be followed if desired, but the present disclosure is for illustrative purposes only and within the scope'of the invention as claimed, numerous changes may be made.

I claim: r

1. In combination with a railway switch having the usual tongue-operating bridle bar and operating mechanism connected with said bridle bar; a distant signal connected with said operating mechanism for actuation thereby to show the position of the switch, and means controlled by the position of the switch tongue but unaffected by movement of the bridle bar in switchclosing direction without the tongue, for preventing movement of said signal to switch-closed position if the tongue and bridle bar become disconnected and said tongue fails to close under the influence of the operating mechanism. 1

2. In combination with a railway switch having a tongue, and operating means for said tongue including a bridle'bar; a distant signal connected with and operable solely by said operating means to show the condition of the switch, and a stopconnected with said operating means for movement therewith, said tongue being disposed in the path of said stop when the switch is opened and until it is closed, whereby said stop and said operating means cannot move to set the signal at switch-closed position until the switch tongue is actually moved to such position. 7 i

8. In combination with a railway switch having a tongue, and operating mechanism connected with said tongue and including a bridle bar; a distant signal for showing the position of the switch, connecting means be tween said signal and said operating mechanism for controlling the former to show the condition of the switch, and a lock connected with and operable by said connecting means for locking the switch tongue in closed position only, said lock being positioned to strike said tongue upon switch-closing movement of the bridle bar without the tongue when the latter stands in switch-open position, preventing setting of the signal at switchclosed position in case the tongue should become disconnected from the operating mechanism and remainat switch-open position.

4:. In combination with a railway switch having the usual tongue-operating bridle bar, and. operating mechanism I for said bridle bar including a transverse rock shaft having a pinion; a distant signal for show 7 ing the position of the switch, said signal having an operating gear, a movable lock for holding the switch tongue in closed position only, said lock having an operating pinion, and alongitudinal bar having rack teeth meshing with said gear and said pinions, said tongue being in the path of said look when the switch is opened, whereby said lock is then held against movement and consequently prevents movement of said bar to set the signal at switch-closed position until the tongue actually moves to such position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto afiixed my signature.

MILLARD L. HARVEY. 

